Heney j



(No Model.)

H. J. SEYMOUR.

ANIMAL TRAP.

No. 362,792. Patented'May 10, 1887.

Z M 2 5 LL mllllllllll '1 j l A f 11 I WITNESSES: INVENTOR A/ M 0&4 M

ATTORNEYS lhvrrn HENRY J. SEYMOUR, OF NIAGARA, ONTARIO, CANADA.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 362,792, dated May 10, 1887.

Application filed March 9, 1887. Serial No. 230,200. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY J. SEYMOUR, of Niagara, in the Province of Ontario, in the Dominion of Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Animal- Traps, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to the class of animaltraps in which two spring-actuated jaws are pivoted to a suitable base and are held in their set position by a suitable catch engaging one of the jaws and held in a sensitive manner by the bait-pan.

The object of my present invention is to reduce the cost of manufacture of the trap and increase the efficiency of the same; and to that end my invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter fully described,and set forth in the claims.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan View of my improved animal-trap, showing the same in its set position. Fig. 2 is a side View of the same, with a portion of one of the jaws broken away to better illustrate the means for holding the trap in its set position. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on line 0000, Fig. 1. Fig. at is a detached side elevation of the post to which the bait-pan is hinged, and Fig. 5 is a detached plan view of the baitpan.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the base of the trap, said base being formed of an elongated flat metallic bar having one of its ends bent upward to form one of the posts P, on which to hinge the jaws O G.

P represents the companion post, to which the jaws are hinged, this latter post being secured to the opposite end of the base A in the usual manner, the jaws O 0 being of the form of bows provided at opposite ends with trunnions t it, by which they are pivoted to the aforesaid posts in the usual manner.

S represents the usual bowed spring, terminating with eyes 0, by which it is hung on the post P, beneath the jaws C C.

B represents the bait-pan, which ishung directly on the post P, between the two ends of the spring S. The connection of said bait-pan with the post I effect in the following manner: Said post I provide with notches a a at opposite sides and with a rearward offset, a, between the aforesaid notches. The bait-pan B, I provide with a transverse slot, 1), by which I slip it onto the post from the upper end thereof before attaching the jaws O O to said post. By slipping the bait-pan rearward into the upper notch a of the post the offset a of the post is allowed to pass through the slot 1) of the bait-pan. The bait-pan is thus allowed to slip toward the base of the post, and by then slipping it forward it is caused to enter the lower notch n, and is then retained on the post by the offset a, bearing on the heel of the bait- 1 At the inner side of the post P, I provide the bait-pan B with an aperature, c, and the pivoted end of the jaw O, I provide with a rigid hook or lug, d, which stands at such an angle in relation to thejaw as to cause it to enter the aperture 0 ofthe bait-pan when opeuing the jaws and setting them for operation. The lug d, engaging the edge of the bait-pan at the inside of the aperture 0, serves to hold the jaw O in its set position, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The slightest depression of the free end of the bait-pan releases the lug or hook d, and thus causes the trap to be sprung. Thejaw O, I provide with a brace, Z, by which it bears on top of the hinged end of the bait-pan when the trap is set, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Said jaw is thus also held in its set position.

In order to support the trap in a horizontal position when set for operation, I provide the jaws G O with feet f f, adapted to rest on the ground, and thus support the trap as aforesaid.

Having described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In combination with the base provided with posts, jaws hinged on said posts, and the spring having its arms hung on one of said posts beneath the jaws, the bait-pan hung on the said post between the spring-arms, and a catch on one of the jaws at the hinged end thereof and engaging the bait-pan to hold the same .in its set position, as set forth.

2. In combination with the base provided with. posts, jaws hinged on said posts, and the spring having its arms hung on one of said posts, the bait-pan hung on said post between thespring-arms and provided With an aperture adjacent to the post, and alug projecting from 5 the hinged end of one of the jaws and adapted to enter the aperture of the bait-pan and engage the latter to hold the same in its set position, as described and shown.

3. In combination with the base A, jaws G 10 O, and spring S, the post 1?, formed with an offset, a, and notches n, and a bait-pan, B, having a slot, 1), by which it is hung on said post, substantially as described and shown.

4. In combination with the base A andspring r 5 S, the post 1?, formed with the offset a and notches n n, the bait pan B, hung on said post and provided with the slot 7) and aperture 0, the jaws C O, hinged on the aforesaid post, and the lug or hook d, projecting from one of said jaws and adapted to enter the aperture 0, sub- 20 I stantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name and affixed my seal, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the 2 5 county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 15th day of February, 1887.

HENRY J. SEYMOUR. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

O. H. DUELL, O. BENDIXON. 

